President Donald Trump’s recent decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and restore heavy economic sanctions on the country is having an effect on an arena beyond politics: the 2018 World Cup.
Nike will be providing the shoes for 60 percent of the World Cup players when they take the field on June 14 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and had offered the shoes to Iran's national team in the past, as well. This year will now be an exception.
“The sanctions mean that, as a U.S. company, we cannot provide shoes to players in the Iran national team at this time,” Nike said in a statement on Friday to NBC News.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury, which is responsible for enforcing financial sanctions on Iran, can charge a person who willfully violates the sanctions with criminal penalties of up to $1 million and 20 years in prison, according to the Department's website.
